Billy and the Mystery Box
by Ratany
Summary: Mulder finds a new mystery with which to annoy his partner. Scully finds herself once again dragged behind her partner's delusions. And neither see the strings attached to their puppetmaster.
1. Default Chapter Title

Title: Billy and the Mystery Box (1/8)  
  
Authors: Ratgirl01 and Coie  
  
Email Address: RatCo_productions@hotmail.com  
  
Paring: Absolutely none  
  
Spoilers: Various references to some episode plots but nothing too deep and some little stuff from Tithonus.  
  
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Billy and the Mystery Box  
  
A plain package had found it's way onto the area outside Mulder's apartment door. Without even thinking of anything like the unibomber, he had hastily grabbed the package and carried it inside into his living   
space. After unwrapping it like a child at Christmas, Mulder had found a new object to annoy Scully with.  
  
It was Monday and another day that Scully had to drag herself out of bed in the morning, just so she could argue with her partner about such things as aliens and insects that made her wonder why she bothered. Of course, she couldn't imagine her life as normal after her first visit down to the dreary basement where she would find not only a partner, but also a whole new outlook on life. Mind control had been her first guess, they certainly had the technology and plenty of opportunities, but the dedication seemed to run to deep for any of that. In the end, Scully went to work because she wanted to, plain and simple.  
  
Mulder picked up the object, again and again. It seemed to have a hypnotic effect. He held it up to the light, his eyes grew wide and he threw it back in the box and closed it.  
  
When Scully saw what sleep depravation and a mystery object could do to someone that she cared about, she instantly regretted ever setting the alarm, but it was to late for that now, and Mulder did really need her help, in more ways than one. She went into her usual skit, which she knew by heart now, of breaking down Mulder's conclusions which were obviously a reaction to all the coffee he had to drink to stay awake.   
This morning ritual seemed to be the only solid thing left in Scully's unusual life and it was a comfort to know that some things will never change.  
  
Mulder had been waiting for Scully to come in. There had been no point in trying to sleep so he had come into work early, about 7 hours early. He had it all figured out and now all it needed was Scully's debunking to make it a case. The research itself had only taken an hour at the most. He had every single X-File memorized now, and there wasn't much on this topic anyway. He had gone over and over what she might say, coming up with an answer for each point she could possibly make. When she finally arrived, he was on a total caffeine high, mixed in with the excitement to the case. He wasn't surprised when she rattled off every question he had anticipated and then gave the appropriate answers to her queries.  
  
Scully watched Mulder's face as he gave her a mini-lecture on each of her comments, complaints and questionings. He always seemed so prepared, like he knew what she was going to ask. Was she that predictable? But Mulder had always seemed calm, even when it came to on-the-spot stuff, while she groped in the dark to come up with something that would prevent their deaths. Scully listened to the explanations. She hated to admit how much sense they were making to her and she started to daze off into her own little world, until she heard about the small town in the middle of nowhere that they would end up in, again. This time when she let her mind wander, she wondered why freaks and aliens never went to New York or Paris.  
  
Mulder droned on and on. Finally he paused. Surprised she wasn't interjecting another sarcastic remark, he glanced up. Her eyes were slightly glazed over. She hadn't even been paying attention! He cleared   
his throat noisily and she jumped. "Oh sorry," she muttered. Mulder tried to act like nothing had happened as he continued. "Our flight out is at 11:30 so you better run home and grab your bag Scully. Here's your ticket. I'll meet you there, okay?"  
  
"Uh sure, Mulder, okay. That will be fine, just fine." She fumbled with her things and then started for the door.   
  
"Um Scully?"  
  
She turned to see Mulder with his arm outstretched, offering her ticket. "Oh right. Yeah. Okay." She took the ticket and hurried out the door, wondering what was wrong with her this morning.  
  
Mulder watched as she left the room. He hadn't seen her this disoriented since the last time that they had been drugged. Of course, he wasn't exactly up to par himself, so he probably shouldn't be talking. He played with the box, turning it over and over in his hand. He paused, and held the box up to the light, excited at his discovery. But was to be disappointed. All it said was "39.95 shipped in from Taiwan." Oh well, he thought. It would be too much to expect this object to come in its own box.  
  
* * *  
  
Scully tapped her foot impatiently. She had been waiting for him for over two hours. Their plane was going to start boarding in ten minutes, but did Mulder seem to care? No! Didn't he realize that the airport was one of the most unorganized places in the world? With all the enthusiasm that he had for this case, you would think that he would've been the first one here. She stared back up at the digital clock's big red numbers. "Come on Mulder, I am not taking this case alone." She mumbled under her breath.  
  
Mulder flashed his badge past security. 'Thank God for this thing.' He thought as he whizzed past all the people who had been waiting in line forever. He was more awake now and worried that Scully had abandoned him for taking so long. Why _was_he_ late? This was so unlike him, unless he wanted to be. He looked at the same clock that Scully had been looking at only minutes ago. He spotted her and ran to her. "Two minutes to spare, not bad, eh, Scully?"  
  
"Yeah, sure Mulder. Packing lightly now?" Scully asked, eyeing his one, half-deflated gym bag.  
  
Mulder jerked the bag up and down a couple times, testing the weight. He realized he hadn't thought much of packing. He stared down at the bag, then at Scully's face with a weird look on his own. "Umm, oh look Scully, they're calling our plane for boarding-" Mulder turn his back towards Scully who was trying her hardest to keep from laughing and headed towards the boarding gate.  
  
* * *  
  
The flight went uneventfully. Scully read her book while Mulder stared at the curtain that separated them from first class. He didn't know why he bothered, like the FBI would ever spring for decent seats. He sneaked a peak over Scully's shoulder at the book cover she was reading. "Antibodies? Scully, you're reading science fiction?" he mocked.  
  
"Yes, and for your information, the characters in this book are totally unbelievable, just like the plot of people being controlled by little machines in their blood. Who writes this stuff?"  
  
"I don't know, but I do know who reads it."  
  
"Mulder."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Okay Scully. Anything you ask Scully. Your wish is my-"  
  
"_Mulder._"  
  
"Right. I am again staring at the curtain saying nothing."  
  
"Good, let's keep it that way."  
  
* * *  
  
Mulder and Scully stared at the quaint red brick house. Scully was the only one who could bring herself to speak. "Mulder are you _sure_ this is the right address? I mean" she let her voice trail off as she could   
think of nothing else to say.  
  
Mulder double-checked the return address on the box and then the number on the mailbox. "Yep Scully, this is the place."  
  
"Mulder, why would someone from the middle of nowhere, and let me stress nowhere, send you that sort of 'evidence,' if you want to call it that."  
  
"I don't know Scully. But I bet we are going to find out." Mulder added when the sound of locks being turned could be heard from the other side of the door. The door swung open and there, standing before the two agents was a young boy about the age of seven. He stared up at them with big round eyes. "Are you the po'ice?" His bewildered voice asked when he saw the badges. "'Cause my daddy he say that cops are like dandruff, you don't want 'um but you can't get them to go away."  
  
"Not quite son." Mulder said with a smile. "I'm Special Agent Mulder and this is Special Agent Scully, we're with the FBI. Are your parents home?  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you know when they will be home?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you supposed to open the doors to strangers when they aren't home."  
  
"No."  
  
'Smart kid.' Mulder mumbled to Scully and received a jab in the ribs as a reply. "We're looking for William, is _he_ home?"  
  
The boy's mouth dropped. "That's me, but everyone calls me Billy."  
  
Mulder paused for a moment, trying to take everything in. "You_ sent me this package?" He brought the box in front of Billy so the child could see.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"But, why? How?"  
  
"Well it _said_ to."  
  
"What said to?  
  
"I'm not supposed to say."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"'Cause I'm not."  
  
Scully, who had been silent all this time spoke up. "Listen, Billy, could we come in for a minute, please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"And why can't we."  
  
"Because my parents told me not to, duh."  
  
"And you always do what your parents tell you?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"But Billy, we aren't strangers. We have been friends for at least five minutes." Mulder piped in.  
  
"Yeah," Billy thought for a moment, "but your still cops."  
  
"No we aren't Billy. We're FBI not the police."  
  
"How do you know my name?"  
  
"You told it to us, remember?"  
  
"No, I wouldn't. I'm not suppos'd to talk to strangers."  
  
"Billy-"  
  
"I'm telling my daddy on you!" Billy screamed as he slammed the door in the two agent's faces.  
  
"Come on Mulder, we'll come back later." Scully said as she started to pull him down the step.  
  
"I guess you're right Scully."  
  
"Hey, wait, where ya going?" Billy came chasing them down the step, waving a piece of paper in his hand. "You left so soon, I almost forgot to give you this. I don't know what it says, it was stapled. Which one is Mulder?" When Mulder remarked it was he, the boy placed the note in his hand. "I have to give you this, but I can't say why." He giggled and ran back towards the house. "Too bad you can't stay longer. It's boring in there." He slammed the door again.  
  
Scully looked over at her partner. When she saw the dazed look on his face she plucked the car rental keys out of his hands. "I'm driving _this_ time Mulder," she told him as she headed for the car, leaving a   
dazed Mulder standing alone with a stapled note in his hands.  
  
Mulder was shocked. For all his careful planning, this had certainly come out of left field. He really needed to connect his thoughts. Nothing made sense yet. He hated that. A lot. He loved solving   
puzzles. But usually he had answers. Lots of them. And if they didn't fit, well, he always had back up plans. Right now he was lost. He needed to think, to get back on track and come up with the answers.   
Fast. Because Fox William Mulder hated three things. The first was admitting he was wrong. The second was acknowledging that he was clueless. The third was doing either in front of his partner. For all the times he had given her grief over similar situations, he knew he'd be in for some major payback. He glanced at the note in his hands and did a double take. Then he raced to the car. While he still didn't have a clue, at least they now had something to do.  
  
* * * 


	2. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
Scully pulled into the car return at the airport.   
  
Mulder jumped out of the car before it even stopped. "I'll go on ahead," he said. "Meet me there."   
  
Honestly, she thought, he is just like a little kid. But that didn't stop the irritation she was feeling. Once again he had ditched her. She was left to handle the boring and routine so that he could run off and   
pursue the case. Dana Katherine Scully disliked one thing above all others: being ditched. That punk ass, she swore under her breath. When I catch up with him The thought trailed off as it always did. When I   
catch up with him what? What can I say or do that he will even notice. He never really even treats me like a partner. It's like I'm his little sidekick or something. Sidekicks are never taken seriously, she mused as she hurried across the airport. She was not going to let Mulder get away with anything this time. Best friend or no.  
  
* * *  
  
Mulder was excited. He wanted Scully to hurry up and get there. He wanted to show her the note he had just found in the airport rental box. He wanted to share his brilliant ideas with her. He couldn't wait to   
follow up on the directions. He needed to go go go.   
  
Scully slowly rounded the corner. She didn't want to seem too anxious or anything. Plus she had a sinking suspicion that Mulder was in one of his moods...   
  
Mulder rushed up to her, almost knocking a young man standing in his way to the ground. "Look Scully; Another note with more directions. Based on the wording of these notes, I think I've developed a psychological profile on them. Plus I think I've figured out why they're being sent to me and what the purpose is. Let's go."  
  
Scully rolled her eyeballs to the sky. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Damn it Mulder! What's up with you today? The only place we are going is the Hilton next door. I have been on the go for more then 24 hours and I know you started your day way before me. You are going to crash and burn if you don't get some rest. Come on. I got us a two-bedroom suite.  
  
Mulder was flabbergasted. "What?"  
  
Scully smiled. "My best-friend from college's husband owns the place and she gave me a great deal. It costs a lot less to the Bureau then those crummy motels we usually crash at for one. Plus, at ten o'clock at night we are not likely to find an open flight. And I'm starved for a good meal. A restful sleep now will leave us both a lot better off. Trust me." She gave him a backward grin and walked off.  
  
Mulder was once again floored. What the hell had just happened? Nothing seemed to be quite right today. He ran across the airport to catch up with Scully. "Hey wait up," he shouted.  
  
* * *  
  
Scully smiled as she relaxed in a warm whirlpool bath. She had a lovely Italian dinner, followed by a few rounds of bridge with Mulder. Scully had staked out the master bedroom. She had then locked her door and relaxed. Beethoven's Fifth was playing on her deluxe stereo system and the world was a wonderful place.  
  
* * *  
  
When Mulder and Scully first found each other the next morning, the two headed into the little café that was part of the hotel. Scully took a minute to admire Mulder's clothes. "Is that the same suit that you were wearing yesterday only with a different tie Mulder?"  
  
"How can you tell?"  
  
"Well, for one thing, it's the exact same color, brand and style as yesterday's and also the little stain in the pocket of the jacket helps. Looks like the unidentified flying food on the airplane got you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Answer me honestly Mulder. Was the only thing you packed into that gym bag your ties and your underwear?"  
  
"Oops Scully. I knew I forgot something. Maybe would could stop somewhere and pick me up some," he teased.  
  
"Mulder . . . I did _not_ need to know that."  
  
"By the way Scully, how come you are paying so close attention to my clothes?"  
  
"Because Mulder, I need to know if I should wear my 'I'm with slob' shirt today."  
  
"Thanks Scully. My ego really needed that."  
  
"Any time Mulder, anytime."  
  
* * *  
  
After determining that they'd be lucky to get a flight before next Tuesday, they rented the only car available, a Hummer. Mulder again in the driver's seat and Scully again deeply in a book. During the third hour of knowingly being lost and the second hour in a traffic jam, Mulder braved a glance at the cover again. This time she was reading Children of Dune. He didn't bother commenting on it because he would have to admit that he couldn't understand the plot line of the first one. It was way beyond him and yet his little-legged partner seemed quite content to curl up with a plot line with made-up words that were woven through the entire thing.  
  
Scully peered through the corner of her eyes. Normally she would be pissed about parking in the middle of the freeway, but the book dragged her to a planet where the problems were worse there than here. In the first book, the people who lived there suffered from insufficient water supplies, now by the third book, the surplus water would bring ruin. There was a moral there, she mused, be happy with what you have. Scully stuck her finger in the page before closing it gently and looking directly at the driver. Was a lesson from a book realistic, was she to follow the Hershey bar's motto "Change is bad," or was it all in entertainment with no real impact on life? They were still stalled, but she had an idea. "Mulder, move over. You have gotten us lost already. It's my turn to get us found."  
  
Mulder hated giving up the driver's seat. It seemed so unmanly, but when she got that tone he knew better than to argue. He wished no one could see him as he slammed the car door and walked behind into the passenger seat. By the time he reached the door, Scully had already made herself at home behind the wheel. Grimly, he buckled his belt, but tried to look at the bright side. This way he could go back to trying to make since of this case without being responsible for being late for whatever it was they were heading to. He snapped out of his thoughts with the sound of Scully's voice.  
  
"Okay Mulder, it's time you let me see that note of yours."  
  
Reluctantly Mulder handed it over. When he saw the laughter spring to her face he stared back out the window.  
  
Scully was near dying from the humor of the thing. They had been in Iowa. By her calculations, they should be heading toward Colorado and they were in- She glanced at a sign. Missouri! They were at the edge of the 'Show Me' state, having traveled half a day in the wrong direction. Too bad Mulder hadn't asked her to 'show him' because them he could still be behind the wheel. She didn't have to wait long to get on a turn off. Mulder had been in the wrong lane anyway and had been waiting in line to get off the freeway. His mistake would save them time, but she figured he wasn't paying attention. If he could keep it a secret forever about her infertility, then she could not tell him about this, at least not until his life depended on it.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Mulder had passed out almost right after the switch of drivers, so he was surprised to wake up in a dark empty car. He started to panic when his eyes drifted over the note, now with his name written out it with   
Scully's professional handwriting. He lifted up the note while his hand groped for the overhead light. Finally finding the switch, he flicked it in, flinching at the sudden addition of light. Mulder carefully opened the note and read the contents. He noticed how Scully had to squish a few words together to work around the holes left by the staple. He refolded the note and opened the car door. When he stepped out, he realized two things. One, how stiff he was and the other was where he was. It was a little coffee shop with a neon 'open' sign that was half burnt out. He slammed the door without bothering to lock it; No one in his right mind would try to steal that hunk of junk. He headed towards the door.  
  
Scully sat in a booth neat the window staring at the car as she sipped her coffee. It was surprisingly good for the shape that the establishment was in. Her cell phone sat on the table besides her cup; She hadn't bothered putting it away after her last phone call. She was waiting for Mulder to wake up, if he ever would. She had left a note there for him if he did and she hoped that he would find it. Her mind was to tired to try to understand the case that they were on, so she just sat there, listening to the hum of the 'open' sign as the 'p' struggled for its red light. It seemed like she had been drinking coffee forever before the car light was finally switched on. She signaled the waitress and asked for two more cups.  
  
Mulder noticed Scully right away and hurried to sit across from her. His mind was racing with questions, but when he noticed that she looked like a member of Dead Evil IV, he silently took the cup of coffee that she pushed over to him. The smell filled his nostrils and even though the place looked like it would crumble on his head, the coffee was rich and so much better than the oil that the FBI considered coffee. He hadn't noticed that he was starving until the liquid hit his empty stomach. After finishing his first cup and ordering a second as well as something to eat, he finally spoke to Scully. "Where are we?"  
  
"We're in Colorado about half an hour away from where your note sends us, Mountain Country Inn. I called the place, and someone has already gotten us reservations. We have to get there in-" she checked her watch, "an hour otherwise we can no longer check in, so eat up."  
  
"Scully, the note didn't say _where_ we were heading, so how did you know where to call?"  
  
"I bought a map, a little trick I learned from being a 'Navy Brat.' "  
  
"Oh."  
  
The rest of the meal was eaten with only the buzz of the sign and the waitress' yelling in the background. They ended up leaving after 40 minutes, but with Mulder driving, they would get there in plenty of   
time. Scully sat poking mindlessly at her laptop, but it was no use. Her words were all garbled and she was reminded about the monkeys writing Shakespeare, only they were having more luck. She grimly gave up and rested her eyes.  
  
Mulder got there with plenty of time to spare. He went in to check into their rooms while Scully dragged her suitcase out of the back of the Hummer. It had been a pain to get in and even more difficult to get   
out. She pulled up the handle for the wheels, threw Mulder's light bag over her shoulder and headed for the door. Mulder came out to meet her and they exchanged his bag for her key. Scully was delighted to find out that she was on the bottom floor so she wouldn't have to worry about finding an elevator or dragging the stupid bag up the steps. It took a couple tries for Scully to get her key card to register, but when it did, she didn't even bother looking around the room. She threw open her bag, grabbed a few things and headed for the bathroom. She almost didn't make it out of there before she collapsed on the bed and didn't hear another thing until the alarm (which must've been preset) went off the next morning.  
  
* * *  
  
Mulder on the other hand, had slept way too much in the car. He was now restless and headed down to the hotel lobby looking for a bar. After wandering around aimlessly for almost fifteen minutes, he finally gave up and went to the concierge. "Excuse me, I was wondering where I could get a drink."  
  
The night clerk stared at him for a minute. "Did you already finish the drinks in the room sir? That was a lot of alcohol we sent up for you."  
  
Mulder blinked. "I didn't ask for anything" he protested.  
  
"But sir, you did, when you ordered the room. Screwdrivers, Don Perignon '53, Bailey's, vodka martinis, and a cherry on the side. It's probably not healthy to drink so much sir. Really."  
  
"Oh gee, um, never mind then," Mulder muttered. He went sheepishly back up to his room and actually turned on the light this time. There was virtually a wet bar there, and Mulder smiled . This was better than a bar. He could drink, and work on the case at the same time. He poured himself a huge glass, settled in a huge comfortable overstuffed chair, pulled out his files, and lost himself in the case.   
  
* * * 


	3. Default Chapter Title

* * *

The next thing Mulder noticed was the ringing of his cell phone. Reluctantly, he answered it.

"Mulder" Scully asked anxiously, "are you all right?"

"Yeah, Scully, I'm fine. What would be wrong?"

"It's 9:00 in the morning and you weren't answering the door or your room phone. Your cell phone has been ringing for almost 10 minutes!"

"Oh," said Mulder. "Hold on. I'll be out in a minute." After hanging up, he finally opened his eyes and glanced around the room. There were empty bottles everywhere and his files were in a heap on the floor. He splashed some water on his face, attempted to smooth out the wrinkles in his suit, and hurriedly disposed of all the mess. Five minutes later, he stepped into the hallway and locked his door.

"Come on" Scully said. "We'll miss the Continental Breakfast!"

"Oh goodie, I'm starved."

Scully looked amused behind a hand that was rapidly waving in front of her face. "God Mulder, what did you do last night? Rob a liquor store?

Mulder tested his breath. "No Scully, it's just my new mouth wash."

"R-r-i-i-ght. I see Mulder . . ."

"Good, I'm glad you're not blind. Let's eat, I'm starving."

* * *

Mulder stared down at his plate of toast and jam. "Continental? Continental? You couldn't even fit Fiji into this breakfast."

"Mulder, Fiji isn't a continent."

"I know Scully, that was the point."

"Well, you don't have to ruin it for the rest of us who don't mind. Some of us actually like bread."

Mulder winced. He sounded like a five-year-old. The orange jam on his lips made him feel like a five-year-old so he picked up his napkin and was halfway across his lips when Scully stopped him.

"Mulder! Don't!"

"What?" He replied without moving the napkin.

"The clue! It's on your napkin."

Mulder instantly dropped the napkin and it would've landed in the orange jam on Mulder's toast with one bite in it, unless Scully hadn't instinctively grabbed at it. She turned it around for him to see. "Now  
look what you've done. It has jam all over it."

"I'm sorry mommy." Mulder said using his best child's voice. He glanced at hers. "But you got butter on yours."

"Well-" She started, looking from her napkin on the table to the one in her hand shoved near her partner's face, then at his face. The two started cracking up, ignoring the glares from the other tables.

* * *

The two felt like a bunch of thieves stealing the Mona Lisa instead of the dirty napkins from their breakfast. They went into Mulder's room, making him grateful that he had spent the extra few seconds disposing of the bottles. Mulder plopped down on the bed and positioned a pillow underneath his arms so he could watch Scully.

Scully sat down at the desk and with the care of a bomb squad; she unfolded the two napkins and briefly glanced at the contents. "Hey Mulder" she said, "come here and have a look at this."

Mulder, reluctant to leave his pillows, make a big show out of slowly moving off the bed, except he moved too slowly and ended up on his back on the floor.

Scully watched him give her a fake face of pain as she pretended to step on his chest. "Quit playing Mulder. You'll want to read this."

Mulder grabbed Scully's hand and pulled himself up. Seated at the desk chair, he studied the note carefully. It was straightforward enough, as far as it went. They had reservations to go skiing up on the mountain at 11.

"What's the matter Mulder? Analyzing the handwriting? Developing a profile from a brief note? Afraid the world is going to end? What?"

Mulder felt sheepish. "Scully, um, I don't know how to ski," he muttered. "I'm not very good with these things. My co-ordination isn't the best." He wanted to sink through the floor. He couldn't imagine why  
he had just admitted this to Scully. Mulder was sure she thought he was a dork.

A tiny smile crossed Scully's face. The big macho loser! She briefly pondered why men always felt the need to show off. But instead she felt bad and said, "It's okay Mulder. It's not like a big deal or something. We're just following the note, remember?"

* * *

When they reached the top of the mountain, an instructor met them. "Hi!" he said brightly. "You must be my 11 o'clock class."

"We're it?" Mulder asked incredulously.

"Yup. We try to keep the class sizes down. Anyway, it's the slow season, so" his voice trailed off. "How much experience to you folks have?"

"Well, um none," blurted Mulder.

"Actually," Scully said, "I have had some experience but my partner here hasn't."

"Let's see what you guys can do then."

* * *

A short time later, it was apparent Scully was capable of handling the advanced run. Mulder however, still had trouble just keeping his balance. He wobbled over to where Scully was waiting for him. "What  
exactly is the point of this exercise? I mean, I why did we come all this way just to ski?"

"I don't know Mulder, it's your mystery. Maybe we are just supposed to become cultured or maybe this is the conspirator's way of preparing us for a mission." She added a sound that you could find in a haunted house and then skied away, covering her partner with snow.

By the end of the session, Mulder eventually figured out how to get over to where the instructor was. Scully came up beside them and listened as her partner made a fool of himself with his theory about the 'Big Picture' and why they were here. Halfway through Scully interrupted.

"What my partner will someday try to get at is, do you know who made us these reservations?"

"No, they paid in advance in cash. Why? Are you not supposed to be here?"

"Actually, we received a letter telling us to come here, but it all started when-" Mulder was cut off by a nudge from Scully, but it was a little too hard.

Scully watched as her partner went down the hill, totally off balance, nearly missing trees left and right. Scully held her breath, but when he only tripped at the bottom, she offered a sigh of relief. "That's the  
best he's done all day." She whispered to the instructor. She only turned her head slightly to see the instructor nodding in agreement. Then they both followed him down the hill to see if he was hurt.

* * *

A short trip to the medical office proved to be quite helpful. Not only did Mulder get his pinky patched up; on the bandage was their next clue.

Mulder groaned. "It's like they were expecting me Scully. See, the writing isn't even all on one section. Even though the words are split into two, they line up perfectly!"

"Looks like this time you were the one that they turned the psycho-analysis on."

"Well, if it wasn't for you Scully, we wouldn't have _ever_ gotten the clue, now would we."

"And for that, I should kill myself Mulder. I'm not one to complain about a free vacation and all, but this is ridiculous."

"I think I should be the one moaning. Not only are they after me, my finger's re-broken."

"Stop whining you big baby! If you ask nicely, I'm sure one of the scantily clad Swedish Nurses will put on a little show for you, and you won't have to pay the premium cable bills."

"Really?"

"It scares me how seriously you answered that Mulder."

"Aww, you're just jealous."

"Envious, and sure Mulder. I want to see your video collection that isn't really yours."

"Wasn't I supposed to be the one with the photographic memory?"

"Yes, but you have run out of film my friend."

"Let's go," Mulder mumbled as he got up. "I want to read this note in private."

"And your sudden wish to go has nothing to do with the fact that you were losing a conversation?"

"When did that _ever_ happen?"

"Like I said Mulder, new film"

* * *

"Let's pull out that map of your Scully." Mulder decided after reading the bleeding ink of his bandage. Ignoring the surprised look on Scully's face, he went on. "It looks like I had one more shot left in me."

"Yes you did Mulder. A shot of what, I don't know, but you sure got a shot alright."

"Haha, Scully. Now give me the map."

"Fine Mulder, but I doubt if it will do you any good."

"Why not?"

"Take a look at the map and then the instructions."

"Basically, we are going north. Looks like high enough to be Canada almost. So?"

"Look at the title of the map."

" 'Truckin' USA.' Oh, I get it."

"Good. Now what do you plan to do about it?"

"Try it and then buy a new map when we hit the border."

"Sure, why not? Another car trip is just what we need."

"Well, would you rather fly?"

"Would you rather tick off that bandage and then invoke some curse?"

"We aren't dealing with the mummy here Scully. Get your plot lines straight."

"Get a life is more like it Mulder."

"Hmm, are you going to quit on me now? After all we've been through."

"Even though it is against my better judgment, I'll risk my life for your dream once again Mulder."

"We leave in the morning then."

* * *


	4. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
It wasn't the driving that bothered Scully at the moment. It was the man in the passenger seat. No matter how serious he could get, he was a child at heart. 'Maybe he had to grow up to fast and lost his childhood,   
only to try to rediscover it later on in life,' she thought. 'Maybe I need to find that innocence again.' But instead she said. "Mulder, I know 5 year olds that could sit still better than you are right now."  
  
"I'm fine Scully. Just trying to figure out the case."  
  
"Could you do it without playing 'Spot the Car?' "  
  
"Well, if you would let me drive both our turns-"  
  
"See. You're so self-centered. Everything has to be about you. Is that why I don't have a desk?"  
  
"Don't bring that up again!"  
  
"Fine Mulder, you want to drive?" Scully violently swerved to the side of the road. "Then drive!"  
  
"You don't have to be so hostile." Mulder had suddenly lowered his voice. "I'm sorry. I just don't like being strung around like a puppet."  
  
"Mulder, neither do I." Scully began to regain control. "But we can't keep doing this."  
  
"What?"  
  
"At each other's throats from car travel."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Maybe you should take the wheel. I don't really mind right now."  
  
"Okay Scully. We're almost near the border any how, and I need to go use the bathroom."  
  
"Washroom."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"They say 'Washroom' instead of 'Bathroom' in Canada."  
  
"Right. Hopefully their _Washrooms_ will be better than our Port-A-Potties. Anything that doesn't have a fluke in it is good for me."  
  
"You just_ had_ to bring that up, didn't you?" Scully managed through a fit of laughter.  
  
"Yep" Mulder replied as he drove the car in much better spirits. She was right. The road in this small car was murder on their moral. He had known what it was like to anticipate what the suspect would do; he had just never been on the flip side of the microscope. He didn't like the feel of it one bit. This trip would have to provide some serious answers, or he would never be able to the AD. With the bill already paid   
for, that would help, but who knows how much work was already piled up at their desks. Not that anybody seemed to care at the moment; still, Mulder didn't like to think about it.  
  
Scully had no idea what came over her a minute ago. She didn't mean to blow up like that, but nothing seemed to be going much like normal since the package arrived. They seem to have changed in a small way only someone who knows them very well could see. Not a love type of thing, but still different. She pondered what it could be as the car slowly lulled her to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
By the time they reached customs, Mulder had to run for the Washrooms. Scully went in a slightly more dignified manner. She was shocked to find there were enough toilets so that there was only a short wait, but Mulder still managed to beat her out. He looked quite happy with something tight in his good hand.  
  
"That was quick. Forget to wash your hands Scully?"  
  
"That was quicker. Forget how to flush? What do you have there Mulder?"  
  
"A note! With more instructions! From our mystery man!" he said, positively elated.   
  
"Oh joy" said Scully dryly. "Another note. Whoopee."  
  
Mulder stared at her. "Come on Scully. Just read this note. I almost missed it!"  
  
Scully took the scrap of toilet paper gingerly. "Honestly, Mulder. This is gross. I mean"  
Her voice trailed off as she read the note.   
  
"I can explain everything you need to know. Come to your apartment right away. Be careful and come alone. If you alert the police, I won't come. I only want to talk to the two of you.."  
  
"Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice" quoted Scully. "This is weird Mulder."  
  
"Answers, Scully! Just think! Not only about this but also Samantha and aliens and the truth our government doesn't want us to know!"  
  
"Mulder, come on. This is so stereotypical. Straight out of some bad novel or cheesy movie! I can't believe you're taking it seriously! And where does it say ANY of that?"  
  
"We'll see whose right Scully you'll see. Come on, let's head back to D.C."  
  
"Mulder, I am NOT driving all the way back to D.C. That's nuts! Even YOU can't be that crazy."  
  
"I think I've been insulted! But I agree with you. Where's the closest airport?"  
  
"I don't know Mulder. Where did that map go?"  
  
After 20 minutes of diligent searching, Scully found the map wedged in the drivers seat. "Honestly Mulder!" she exclaimed. "Okay, look, here's an airport."  
  
"Um Scully? Not to be picky or anything, but I'd rather not take a puddle-jumper. My stomach just isn't up to it."  
  
"Come on Mulder. You've ridden in small planes before. And besides, they're not that bad."  
  
"Maybe not for you. I, however, have terrible motion sickness on boats and small planes, as you may recall, what with your photographic memory and all. And I do NOT want to ride on a baby plane!"  
  
"Sure. Fine. Whatever Mulder." She shot him a look that screamed, "wuss". That made the closest airport a much further drive then she wanted. "Come on then, let's go. We have a long drive ahead of us. And it's my turn to drive, so we're going to listen to my music now." Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a c.d. compilation of classical music and popped it into the dash.  
  
Mulder groaned and got into the car. He decided that motion sickness was definitely the preferable option.  
  
* * *  
  
One thing both Mulder and Scully agreed on was that the girl behind the counter at the airport deserved to be shot. The line at the airport could've gone around the earth twice and by the time the FBI agents got to the counter they were sick of waiting and they of course got to hear what they hated. "No we don't have any empty flights out to D.C. until tomorrow at 11:57 PM. Care to wait?"  
  
"No, are you sure you don't have any indirect flights?"  
  
"Umm, we can get you from here to Dallas to Miami to Boston to D.C."  
  
"Okay, and when does that leave?"  
  
"A week from tomorrow. Can I put you down for that?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Oh wait, I do have a free flight today."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, it arrived from D.C. about 3 hours ago- but I guess that won't do you any good."  
  
"You think so," Mulder squinted his eyes at her name tag, "Julie?"  
  
The blank look behind the girl's eyes was not encouraging. "Well, if you aren't going to book a flight get out of line so someone can."  
  
"Wait a minute. Try looking for reservations under Fox Mulder. M-U-L-D-E-R."  
  
"Fox? I mean hold on a second. Nope, nothing on a Fox." She showed the first sign of life then, holding back her snicker.  
  
"Well, how about Dana Scully?"  
  
Julie's eyes grew wide. She made a swift movement under the counter. "Yes, and how would you spell that?"  
  
"S-C-U-L-L-Y."  
  
Scully noticed that Julie seemed to have forgotten how to type suddenly. She made a sweep of the area and noticed a security personal making his way toward the counter. 'Stupid girl.' Scully found herself thinking, but the thought was cut off by Julie.  
  
"Oh my god. Here you are. Agent Dana Scully. One first flight ticket to D.C. Do you have any baggage to check in."  
  
"Yes!" Scully exclaimed with a sigh as she lifted her bag onto the lower shelf.  
  
Julie bent over to put a tag on it and whispered to Scully, "Are you transporting a prisoner because we need a 3 day notice on that?"  
  
"What! Prisoner, he's my partner!"  
  
"Oh, sure."  
  
"She turned then to the security guard who had made his way over finally. The two mumbled things the agents couldn't understand. The security guard grunted and moved towards Mulder.  
  
Scully looked frantically at the situation and turned back toward Julie. "Try George Hale."  
  
"What?"  
  
"George Hale. H-A-L-E."  
  
"I'm not supposed to-"  
  
"Listen girl. Do you want to mess up a Federal Investigation? Do you know the penalty for that is?"  
  
"No but-"  
  
"Would you like to learn it?"  
  
"No but-"  
  
"Then just type the name in the computer. H-A-L-E."  
  
"I know how to spell."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Wait a minute Mike." Julie signaled to the guard who had just started to chat with Mulder. "Bring him over here."  
  
Mulder came over, embarrassed in front of all the other grumbling passengers.  
  
"Okay, Mr. _Hale,_ Let's see some ID."  
  
Mulder opened his wallet and pushed around some cards producing an older card that was about to expire."  
  
"Oh!" Julie admitted suddenly interested shooing away the guard named Mike. "What was this? Some kind of FBI test?"  
  
"Well that's official FBI business." Mulder retorted.  
  
"Okay. Do you have any bags to check in _George?_"  
  
"Yes, in fact I do." Mulder produced his duffel bag and placed it next to Scully's.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to have to ask you some question for the safety of everyone else. Did you ever leave you bags unattended?"  
  
"No," the agents replied in unison.  
  
"Who packed your bags?"  
  
"I did," Mulder stated.  
  
Julie shot a look at him. "Well that's obvious. And how about you Ms. Scully?"  
  
Scully replied the same as well and Julie continued with her questions as if nothing had happened. When she hit the end, she loaded the two pieces of luggage on the conveyer belt then handed them their tickets. "Your flight stops boarding in 7 minutes. Go down that long hallway and it is the last door on your left. Have a nice flight and be sure to use us for your next journey."  
  
Mulder was too dumbfounded to make a sarcastic reply.  
  
* * *  
  
Scully looked around the 8 passenger plane, it was all first class. When they were both settled, she turned to Mulder and asked the question she had been dying to since they received their tickets. "I can't believe you still have that old thing. Hell, I didn't even know you had that Mulder, why?"  
  
"Mulder answered her plainly. "Well, when the X-Files got broken up the first time, I had the geek, the nerd and the hacker make me up a set of these. Good thing it's not tomorrow Scully, otherwise I'd be in it deep."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Last one I have, it expires tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, well someone knows us well. A little too well in my opinion. Do you think the Gunmen are behind all this?"  
  
"I don't see why. And besides, you know them, they couldn't keep a straight through their own practical jokes for more than 5 seconds. They would've already called us up and laughed their asses off."  
  
"Great friends to trust with highly confidential information."  
  
"I'm glad you approve of my friends mother."  
  
"Mulder, you need a life."  
  
"Thanks Scully, but look whose talking Ms. Violent Tattoo, and Vampire Sheriff."  
  
"Well at least I didn't have fun in the cemetery with the stiff English accent or sleep with the bird."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, nevermind."  
  
* * *  
  
By the time Mulder and Scully made it out of the airport and finally got their rental car from the agency, it was much later then they would have liked. As in 9:30 at night late. Of course, there had been no meal on the tiny plane. Nothing but a tiny bag of snack mix which Mulder had eaten in the first 5 minutes. Scully's lasted a little longer. It took Mulder 10 more minutes to weasel it out of her. He spent the rest of the flight thinking about how hungry he was.   
  
"Scully?" Mulder said in his most annoying childlike voice that he used when he wanted her to do something, which was practically always.  
  
"Mulder. What do you want now?"  
  
"What makes you think I want anything?"   
  
"I know you Mulder. I've worked with you for 6 years. Don't give me that I'm all innocent act. Just tell me what you want."  
  
"Well, umm I'm really hungry and I was hoping we could go to dinner somewhere. Like Chinese maybe?" he said hopefully.   
  
"Let me guess. Your out of money and want me to let you charge it to our expense report again, right?"  
  
"Well… yeah."  
  
"Fine Mulder. But only because I'm really really hungry and I'm certainly not going to pay for your dinner or let you harass me all night. Let's go, but I'm driving."  
  
She grabbed the keys out of his hand and unlocked the car door. "You coming or not?" she called over her shoulder as she climbed into the car.  
  
Mulder confusedly looked around, and then opened the passenger side door.   
  
Inside the car was a note. It read:  
  
'Run and tell all of the angels  
This could take all night   
Think I need a devil to help me   
Get things right   
  
Hook me up a new revolution   
Cos this one is a lie   
Sat around laughing   
And watch the last one die   
  
I'm looking to the sky to save me   
Looking for a sign of life   
Looking for something help me burn out right   
  
I'm looking for a complication   
Looking cos I'm tired of lying   
Make my way back home  
And learn to fly (high)  
  
Think I'm done nursing the patients  
It can wait one night   
Give it all away   
If you give me one last try   
  
We live happily ever trapped   
If you just save my life   
Run and tell the angels   
That everything's all right  
  
I'm looking to the sky to save me   
Looking for a sign of life   
Looking for something help me burn out right   
  
I'm looking for a complication   
Looking cos I'm tired of trying  
Make my way back home  
And learn to fly (high)  
  
Fly along with me  
I can't quite make it alone   
Try to make this life my own' -The Fighters of Foo  
  
I can explain everything. Meet me inside the Foo Fighters concert at the American Theater tonight. I'll find you…  
  
* * * 


	5. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
"Welcome to our China dinnah. Me take ordah?" asked the waiter.  
  
Mulder said, "I'm umm looking for the Foo Fighters Concert up the street."  
  
"No foo fight" said the waiter nervously.  
  
Scully groaned and went up to the take-out window to place her order.  
  
"The uh American Theater" continued Mulder. "It's the uh Foo Fighters."  
  
"Me no wan no foo fight here."  
  
"You don't understand."  
  
"You eat foo.!"  
  
"It's the uh Foo Fighters."  
  
"You eat foo. You no fight with foo."  
  
"Me no fight with food. No food fight. Uh, Dave Grohl, he uh used to be in Nirvana."  
  
"Day roll?"  
  
"Dave Grohl with the uh Foo Fighters."  
  
"Day Grol? Me no have no day grol. We have egg roll. You want egg roll?"  
  
" No, no um."  
  
"You no fight with egg roll. You eat egg roll."  
  
"It's uh it's uh Dave Grohl."  
  
"You want egg roll. You eat egg roll. You no fight with egg roll."  
  
"Look man I just want some directions."  
  
"Me no want you in here no more."  
  
"I didn't come in here to fight."  
  
"You go home."  
  
"It's the Foo Fighters down the street."  
  
"No no fight with food. No foo fighter!"  
  
"Are we on some kind of power trip now that we've got Hong Kong back?"  
  
"Me have much power. Me have so much power."  
  
"Just swallow up a little country like Hong Kong and it goes straight to your head."  
  
"You son bitch you go now. You get lost."  
  
"Come on Mulder" said Scully, yanking on his sleeve.  
  
"But Scully…" he whined.  
  
"Come on." Outside she explained. "Look I got our food. And the theater is right up the street next to the hospital. Why were you antagonizing that waiter?"  
  
"Scully I wasn't…"  
  
"Nevermind Mulder. Lets just go."  
  
"I hope you got something good at least" he complained.  
  
"Brother" thought Scully.  
  
* * *  
  
With Scully's driving talents, they had made it down to the American Theater quickly enough to get a decent parking place before they pulled out the food. Mulder was halfway down his Sweet and Sour Chicken when he almost choked on his food. "Shit!" came his muffled cries through his coughing fit.  
  
"Such language Mulder," Scully commented knowing since Mulder could talk she wouldn't have to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him, but instead waiting for him to regain his breath.  
  
"Shit," Mulder repeated. "Maybe our guy wasn't as bright as we thought."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Scully, it's a FOO FIGHTERS' Concert!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Scully, this thing has probably been sold out for weeks, ever since they went on sale I bet."  
  
"Your point is?"  
  
"We don't have tickets Scully. We are supposed to meet him _inside,_ how far do you think we can get before they stop us? Besides, we can't take our guns inside, we will be meeting our informant unarmed."  
  
"What's wrong Mulder? Doubting someone you don't know who is giving you information for once?"  
  
"Ha ha."  
  
"All we have to do is show our badges to the security and they'll let us in."  
  
"What are we going to tell them, that there is a bomb or we could tell them the truth that we have been running around the last couple days following clues from a guy who knows every move that we will make before we do?"  
  
"Well, if he knows every move, then he must be expecting us to figure out our own way in."  
  
"True, we might be able to find someone with too many tickets, but what about the gun problem?"  
  
"Gee, Mulder. You're planning on buying illegal tickets already, I'm sure you can figure out a way to get our guns in- without making the only way security could find it through a cavity search."  
  
"Scully, you take the fun out of everything."  
  
* * *  
  
Scully had obviously done this before Mulder concluded as she watched her weave her way through the crowds searching for those who would be hunting for them. She almost escaped Mulder's sights. He had realized before that sometimes it was hard to find shorter people in a crowd, but he had never contemplated on how it could be an advantage. People tended to ignore her passing between them while even though he was just seconds behind her, they would seem to close the gap between their bodies before Mulder could slip through. It didn't take Mulder long to figure out what she was doing. It was almost as if she was circling this one guy in his twenties who would stop every few people passing and talking to them briefly.  
  
The guy seemed unsure of himself, Scully knew he was a scalper, but he was either inexperienced or very good at acting. Scully walked by and he addressed her as she had expected. This was not something that she had been planning on doing since she joined the FBI, but it brought back a part of her that she had thought she had lost, it felt good to be rebellious.  
  
The tickets were way overpriced to Mulder, but beggars could not be picky, this would be the first expensive thing that they had to pay for the whole trip.  
  
Something about the boy seriously bothered Scully. Some things had come back quickly, but she could sense something was amiss here, but it had been too long to pinpoint it, until the boy reached in his coat for the tickets and pulled out a badge.  
  
"You are under arrest for trying to buy illegal tickets. You have the right to remain silent-"  
  
"Hey," Scully started. "That's illegal entrapment you are using," she pulled her own badge. "We've been looking for you for some time." Lying was difficult for Scully, she prayed Mulder would jump in soon.  
  
"Hey! But by admitting that, you were illegally trying to trap me too!" The kid protested.  
  
Mulder finally opened his big mouth. "Listen, if you give us those tickets we won't tell your Lieutenant about this little incident."  
  
"Give up my tickets? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Scully, please read off his badge number, I'll need it to file the report."  
  
"Wait! First give me yours so I can report you." The young cop retorted.  
  
Scully looked between the two men thankful for being blessed with two X chromosomes. "All this over scalping? What kind of town has this turned into? We aren't still in Iowa or something. So let's just forget about it, okay?" It was obvious that neither man wanted to back down first so Scully resorted to one of her more sarcastic looks, which got both men moving.  
  
When the cop had cleared ear range, Mulder turned to Scully. "Thanks for saving my butt out there."  
  
"What is this Mulder, sincerity? But I guess we're even, I wasn't doing too well myself. But you didn't seem to be doing that badly."  
  
"I'm not talking about the words exactly, I mean I have to go to the bathroom and couldn't break away myself. But now what, we have no tickets."  
  
"Too much information there Mulder, but there are Johnny on the Spots over there. They won't have toilet paper, but like that really matters to- hey, that's it! The toilet paper we got in Canada!"  
  
"I hardly think you would want to use that after all its been through."  
  
"Not for me Mulder, the clue, it said to go to your apartment, maybe he'll be there."  
  
"My god Scully, you're right! I don't know why he sent us here though, totally pointless."  
  
"I would have to agree with you Mulder." Scully hoped that Mulder wouldn't call her bluff. She had been so busy growing up that all the little things were compressed under work. She hadn't had that much fun in ages, even getting caught was exhilarating. Maybe she could do more exciting things than battling cancer every now and then, she resolved to do just that as they headed towards Mulder's house.  
  
* * * 


	6. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
Mulder was jumpier and jumpier as they drove towards his apartment. Scully looked out the side window and held on to the door. Her partner was weaving through traffic and exceeding the speed limit by a lot. She prayed they wouldn't be stopped by a policeman on the way. As if on cue, flashing lights and a siren cut through the air behind them. She didn't breath again until the squad car had sped past them. "God-damn it Mulder" she thought.   
  
"I'm sorry Scully," said Mulder unexpectedly.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"I know how much you freak out when I drive like this… I'm just in such a hurry…" His voice trailed off.  
  
"Look Mulder, we're here."  
  
"There aren't any close parking spots here. Why don't you get out here and I'll go do something with the car," he suggested. "If nothing else I can find somebody to take it off my hands." He smiled devilishly at her.  
  
"Great Mulder. Wonderful plan. Meanwhile, I'll let myself in with that key you gave me. It's way too cold to just stand here on the corner waiting for you."  
  
Scully shut the door behind her and turned to hurry up the steps. Mulder pulled away from the curb when suddenly a sharp noise filled the air. "Damn," he thought, "I blew a tire." Not wanting to stop in the middle of the street, he kept going until he could pull over to the side. "Wait a minute," he thought. I certainly didn't pop one of my tires. It was driving too smoothly for that. Scully!"  
  
Mulder threw open the door, narrowly missing a passing car. Ignoring the curses of the driver and the annoying dinging sound the car was making due to the lights being left on, the keys being in the ignition, and the door being open, he raced back the two blocks to his apartment building, passing squad cars and an ambulance. He found a group of people standing around in a circle, talking excitedly. He pushed his way through the crowd, plowing people out of his way to the center. Two paramedics were loading Scully onto a stretcher. Her clothes were covered in blood.   
  
"Oh my God!" he exclaimed. "Scully!"  
  
"Do you know this woman, sir?" asked a police officer.  
  
Mulder flipped out his identification and handed it to the officer. "She's my partner. What happened!"  
  
"We're not entirely sure of the details yet sir. That's what I'm trying to discover."  
  
"We were going to meet an informant in my apartment and I went to park the car…" His voice trailed off and he was forced to brush away tears.   
  
"I'll have to get a statement later sir. Would you mind riding in a squad car to the hospital?"  
  
Mulder muttered something inaudibly. The officer took it as assent and signaled for another officer. "Take Mr. Mulder to the hospital for me please."  
  
Mulder followed the officer in a daze. The squad car pulled out behind the ambulance and headed for St. Mary's. Questions began flowing through his mind and he asked the officer. "What happened? How serious is it? Will she be okay? Who called the police? Did you catch anyone at the scene? Do you have any leads?"  
  
"I don't know. I just got there. I'm driving you to the hospital. You'll have to see when you get there."  
  
Mulder was getting impatient. "Come on people. Get out of the way! Don't you see the flashing lights? It's an ambulance for pity's sake!"  
  
The officer shook his head silently.  
  
* * *  
  
When they finally pulled up in front of the emergency room, Mulder hopped out of the car before it even stopped moving. The paramedics had already taken Scully through the doors.  
  
Mulder had almost exploded when he had found out that he wasn't going to be able to ride with Scully to the hospital. The scene seemed all too familiar: the abrupt change in Scully's heath, the ambulance getting there just too quickly and his inability to ride with Scully to the hospital. Mulder had pushed his body to get into the emergency room before he lost sight of her, but was stopped by a doctor.  
  
"Can I help you?" The doctor asked just a little to ruff for Mulder's paranoid personality.  
  
"Yes!" Mulder let all of his rage and grief fly at the man in front of him. "I'm looking for my partner. Scully, Agent Dana Scully. She was taken in here just minutes ago!"  
  
"Agent Scully? So your in on that too? I don't know what you are trying to pull, but we don't like those hoaxes here at _this_ hospital, even if-"  
  
"Wait a minute, whatdoyoumean _hoax_? She was shot goddamit! I heard it- practically saw it with my own eyes!"  
  
"So you are completely unaware that your partner is fine?"  
  
"Fine? You call shot fine? What kind of half assed-"  
  
"Excuse me _Agent_ Mulder, but _we_ have done everything right here. I don't know _why_ your partner has a bullet hole in her blouse, I don't know why she was covered in her own blood when there is obviously no puncture wound in her entire body, but I do know that she could not have been shot in the heart and then have the bullet, the entry wound and any other damage done just heal itself. Like I was going to say: We don't care if you were the president of the United States, we don't like having to use our staff on these stupid pranks, which you should've given up years ago!"  
  
Mulder was stunned silent for a moment, but that period soon passed. "Where is she?"  
  
The doctor sighed. "She was quite weak when we brought her in so we figured she could use some rest. She's in room 6-19. And Agent Mulder, I don't want to see either of you here again without some serious reason, or next time we will press charges and we _will_ inform your superior.  
  
Mulder only half nodded grimly before racing down the hall. If he had bothered to look back he would've noticed the doctor stripping off his jacket and tossing it lazily across an unoccupied chair before heading towards the door. A young nurse noticed him and wondered at his strange behavior, but she was new at the hospital and didn't want to seem as green as she felt. Still, she had never seen that doctor before and lighting your id pass before lighting your cigarette didn't quite seem to be normal, even in this line of work. Mid-life crisis, she muttered and hoped that the rest of the staff wouldn't go off the deep end as well. She gave the doctor a second glance as he strolled off and seemed to disappear into the blackness. She was unable to resist shuttering, but tried to put it to the back of her mind. Maybe she felt uneasy because of the sponge bath she had to give; she hoped she was right . . .  
  
* * * 


	7. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
Scully sat in the hospital room. She hated it here, as a patient at least. She need to be doing something, but they had made her promise to stay in bed. This let her mind wander and she couldn't seem to stop it. Her life had flashed before her eyes, but the only innocent that Scully could clearly remember was Fellig. She was supposed to be dead too last time she was shot, but again she turned out with nothing worse than a case of exertion.  
  
Her mind was screaming 'I was shot, I know I was, I felt it enter my body, I felt my heart slow down, I felt . . . So what _if_ he was telling the truth. What _if_ he missed his time for death and that made him immortal. That means since he took _your_ time for death, _you_ would be immoral as well.'  
  
The rational side of her mind had about enough of this thought. 'Are you kidding me? You sound worse than Mulder and his little gray men! If anything saved you, it was God. He brought you back after your abduction and He's just decided it wasn't your time.'  
  
'But has God ever been so showy in His miracles that He would do it twice and so quickly?'  
  
'God works in mysterious ways, you know that. Besides, somewhere along the line it has to be wrong to think such things as missing out on your time of death. When your time comes, you can't resist God's will.'  
  
'True, but the Angel of Death passed over the Jewish houses in Egypt, this isn't too much different. And how do you know that it wasn't God's will that this immortality thing happened.'  
  
'How can you be so sure you are truly immortal. What proof do you have?'  
  
'Well, for instance, when God brought me back after my abduction it took months to recover, I will be out of here tomorrow.'  
  
'So?'  
  
'So, I don't know! It's just a feeling I have. I'll ask Mulder what he thinks.'  
  
'Mulder will think you went off the deep end, but he'll only make fun of you before he steals this idea as his own . . .'  
  
'Maybe that's what I want, what I need right now. Maybe I just need someone else to tell me right now that I'm not crazy and he believes in me.'  
  
The argument was stopped there as Mulder lightly knocked as he opened the door.  
  
"Hey Scully! I don't have a video this time, but I will keep you company."  
  
Scully smiled meekly. At least he didn't have another video, it probably would've been Super Bowl 34, the Ram's road to victory. "Thanks Mulder. I could use a good laugh right now."  
  
Their conversation was light and pleasant, but they were ignoring the issue that really needed to be discussed and Mulder finally managed to find the right words. "So what exactly happened to you back there Scully?"  
  
"I don't know for sure Mulder. But I do have a theory that's well- a little different."  
  
Mulder had gotten too emotionally involved to stop to listen to Scully. "We'll find the bastards who did this to you Scully. Near as I can figure it, you were shot with a paint bullet, only instead of red paint it carried your blood. Those things can be really painful and if mixed with some light acids or something it could've eaten a hole through your blouse causing the bullet hole. Now consider where it hit you and that could explain why you were only winded."  
  
Scully let the explanation linger in the air for what seemed like forever. "That's it Mulder? No God saved you, no alien abduction flashback, no immortality?"  
  
"Why Scully, from your voice it would almost seem you were disappointed . . ."  
  
"Well, your explanation covered all the basics, but it sounds so unlike you. Are you sure we haven't stepped in some weird spores lately?"  
  
"Ha ha Scully. Like you say, sometime the real answer is the most obvious one in front of you. What did you want to say?"  
  
Scully swallowed. She couldn't share her Fellig idea with Mulder, he wouldn't understand. He hadn't been there. "Well, I was thanking you for being there so quickly. But I was just wondering, you said that I was covered with my own blood. Where did you learn that?"  
  
"Some doctor."  
  
"But Mulder; The couldn't have done the test so quickly! Even if you were just talking to him the results wouldn't be in yet."  
  
"Your right Scully. I'll go find that guy. You rest up and I'll see what I can do about getting you out of here." Mulder had one foot out the door before Scully stopped him. He turned to see her biting her lower lip, like she was dying to say something else.  
  
"Mulder . . . thanks."  
  
"Sure, no problem."  
  
When Mulder had firmly shut the door behind him, Scully let out a sigh. She had almost told him, almost. She threw her head back onto her pillow in disgust.  
  
* * *  
  
Mulder headed up to the front desk to talk to the enchanting young nurse he noticed earlier. "Hey, do you know where that doctor who was treating my partner went? I have a few questions for him."  
  
The girl looked up at Mulder. Kinda cute, if you went for the total dorks. She rated him a total obsessive geek, but he was better looking than the man she had just given a sponge bath to, and besides, it _was_ her job, sorta. "I noticed him leaving earlier. I'm new here so I don't know the shifts and don't know when he will be back. Hell, I don't even have a clue who he is!"  
  
'She likes me.' Mulder convinced himself. He gave her those puppy eyes and was about to ask her name when his cell phone interrupted him. "Excuse me." He explained, but the girl seemed to be the first one to leave. 'Another girl scared off by a strong man, I have to be less authoritative.' Mulder pondered before answering his cell phone. "Mulder."  
  
"Agent Mulder, It's Bobby from Research. I have that report for you."  
  
'Bobby?' Mulder tried to think. 'one of Pendrell's replacements. Funny thing was neither Mulder or Scully knew Bobby's last name. "Report?" He questioned.  
  
"Yeah, the translation you wanted; it's done."  
  
"Bobby, I know that I didn't give you anything to translate. In fact, I haven't been in contact with anyone in the bureau for several days now."  
  
"Yeah, but this has been sitting here for several weeks. Are you feeling all right? What do you want me to do with this because I just didn't waste all my time-"  
  
"No, I _know_ I didn't order anything along those lines and Scully would've informed me."  
  
"So what do you want me to do with this?"  
  
"Well, just read it to me and we'll see if we can figure out what is going on."  
  
"Okay, but I know this is for you. Besides your name on the request it reads:  
  
Spooky,  
Hell of a ride, huh? I hope you enjoyed my little path to discovery. But I should point out that if you had let Scully explain her theory about your journey then you would've learned a piece of her soul. Shape up your act before it's too late for us all.  
  
Agent Mulder are you there?"  
  
"Yeah, um, how long ago did you say that arrived?"  
  
"A few weeks ago, why?"  
  
A sharp release of breath could be heard on Bobby's end. "No reason, other than why it took you so long to translate?"  
  
"We were busy, but this wasn't a fun assignment and you didn't put a rush on the translation. Whoever wrote this must've grown up knowing how to write like this. Everything was perfect and it didn't sound like this guy wrote it without years of practice."  
  
"Wait, what language was this written in exactly?"  
  
"Why Agent Mulder, I thought you knew. I mean you wrote it down and everything. Don't you remember? Russian . . ."  
  
* * * 


	8. Default Chapter Title

* * *  
  
"Gin!"  
  
The man stared at the boy sitting across the table from him. He had made a killing in Vegas but for some reason this 6-year-old boy murdered him at Rummy. The thought made him smile.  
  
Billy didn't like the man's smile. "You gonna pay up or not? We ARE playing for quarters here!"  
  
The man reached in his pocket and pulled out a handful of quarters. "Here, I think this covers it."  
  
The boy picked up the money off the table. "Hey thanks."  
  
The man smiled at Billy. He had begun to remind him more and more of his real mother. "Hey, your parents are going to be home soon. I probably had better get going."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. You will come back and visit me though again won't you? It's sooooooooooooo boring here. There's nothing to do."  
  
"Of course. I wouldn't miss playing cards with my favorite buddy." The man said. He might not be able to guarantee he'd be back, but he'd sure try. Pushing away from the table, he stretched as he stood.   
  
Billy noticed the man's left arm remained hanging stiffly at his side. Usually it appeared almost natural. He would never have been able to tell it was fake if the man hadn't taken it off once to show him.   
  
"Remember what I said Billy: No more tests, ever." The man let himself out the front door and walked to his 1971 jet black GTO convertible. He sped away from the house as a minivan pulled up the street.   
  
Billy quickly closed the door. He noticed the man's black leather jacket was still sitting at his place in the dining room. He grabbed it and tossed it in his room, slamming the door behind. Just then his mother walked in through the kitchen. For an added distraction, Billy threw himself at his mother and firmly attached himself to her legs.  
  
"Honestly!" exclaimed Billy's mother. "The way some people drive down these streets! You'd think this was a freeway instead of a residential neighborhood!"   
  
"Hi Mommy. How was your day? I bet something exciting happened." Billy questioned rubbing his nose against her pants leg.  
  
"Actually, Billy, I've had a long day. But no, nothing exciting's happened yet. Just another long day at the lab…"  
  
Just then the phone rang, cutting her off abruptly.   
  
Breathlessly, she answered the work line. "Hello this is Janelle," she blurted as she practically ran with the cordless phone to the other room.   
  
Janelle had to cover her ears so she could understand the shaking hysterical voice on the other end of the line. She could barely make out any words at all.  
  
"What? Something about the lab? Slow down and breathe. I can't understand you!" she exclaimed impatiently.   
  
"Blown up? Destroyed? Everything? All our work? Our papers, our files, our research, our backups? How the fuck did they get in? They knew about the fucking backups? Those fucking bastards. The damn shits had someone on the inside. Jesus. Fuck. How the fuck did this happen? Who? Who did this to us?"  
  
As she took a breath to continue her rampage, she noticed an unblinking pair of bright brown eyes that were disconcertingly focused on her.   
  
"Billy!" She yelled angrily.   
  
"Billy…."  
  
She took a deep breath and tried again.  
  
"Billy, Mommy's on the phone. You know when it's a work call, you need to go play. Why don't you go outside."  
  
"Mommy, I don't need to go to the lab anymore. It's all over."  
  
He left his refuge under the table and headed for the back door.  
  
"Sorry," Janelle hissed into the phone. "But Billy is at that stage. You know. And now with the lab destroyed, we need to find a new place for Billy…"  
  
* * *  
  
Billy banged the kitchen door behind him, and almost tripped over a package wedged against the step. After picking himself up and brushing himself off, he curiously inspected the wooden crate.   
  
Squinting at the clearly printed black lines, Billy thought excitedly, "Hey! That's my name!"  
  
He eagerly picked up the package and slipped into the house, making sure to stop the door from slamming. He raced down to the basement to open the package undisturbed.   
  
* * *   
  
Janelle was about to have a nervous breakdown. All her years of work, all her time and effort, all the time spent with Billy, all had been for nothing.  
  
She hung up the phone a ball of nerves an hour later. How had he known about the lab and why in the world did he think there would be no more tests?  
  
She threw some HotPockets in the microwave and called Billy for dinner. He didn't answer when she called outside though. Thinking about the trouble she would face from her superiors if she lost Billy, Janelle became more and more worried. She looked over at the basement door and noticed the crack of light shining under it onto the floor. She started to open the door, but found it locked from the inside. Suddenly the house shook and her good china crashed down from inside the china cabinet onto the hard wood floor. The lights flashed eerily. She somehow managed to break down the door and she raced down the stairs. She looked around frantically, but nothing was out of place. She made a quick check of the basement, and found no signs that Billy been down there lately. She collapsed onto the stairs, as her world spun wildly out of control.   
  
* * *  
  
Mulder finally escaped from Skinner back to his office. He couldn't wait to re-inspect the mystery item. But it wasn't there. Mulder searched everywhere. At first, he figured it was just misplaced in the hopeless clutter that was his office. However, as the hours went by and the item did not appear, Mulder began to become more and more worried. Finally he sank into his chair, contemplating this new mystery.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Fin  
  
* * *  
  
  
Billy and the Mystery Box  
  
Billy bought a mystery box   
$39.95 shipped in from Taiwan.  
Standing in the grocery line,  
Seen the ad in the Weekly World Press.  
In bold letters it said "MYSTERY!  
Satisfaction Guaranteed.  
Is it dead? Is it alive?"  
The question marks,  
They rolled right off the page.  
Billy and the Mystery  
Billy and the Mystery Box.  
  
Talked his mother into it,  
Told her it was a kid   
Commin in from Taiwan.  
Spent a lot of sleepless nights,  
Waiting for the Box to arrive.  
Well it finally came   
In a great big crate.  
COD, three days late.  
He signed the papers,  
Couldn't wait.  
Smashed his thumb moving it   
Into the basement.  
Billy and the Mystery  
Billy and the Mystery Box.  
  
Billy missed his supper  
And he didn't answer when   
His momma called him.  
"Yoo-hoo?"  
The worry showed upon her face  
As she read a book by Judith Crantz.  
Walked over to the basement door.  
The light shown underneath onto the floor.  
She tried the handle in once more,  
But it was locked from inside.  
Billy and the Mystery  
Billy and the Mystery Box.  
  
The house it shook.  
Somethin' crashed.  
She dropped the book.  
The lights all flashed.  
Broke down the door.  
Ran down the stairs.  
But when she looked   
The box was gone  
and Billy wasn't there.  
"Whoo."  
  
The grass grows high in Billy's yard.  
The house for sale.  
His momma gone to Tulsa.  
The wind it whips the paper by.  
It's the want ads of the Weekly World Press.  
In bold letters it said "MYSTERY!  
Satisfaction Guaranteed.  
Is it dead? Is it alive?"  
The question marks,  
They rolled right off the page.  
Billy and the Mystery  
Billy and the Mystery Box.  
Billy and the Mystery  
Billy and the Mystery Box.  
  
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